Cloth measuring and indicating machine.



G. ELIN.

.CLOTH MBASURING AND INDIO/WING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JNNI'ZN 1911,

Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

- G. RLIN. y CLOTH MEASURING AND INDIGATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. l. 1911.

` 1,009,393, V Patend N0v.21,1911.

2 SHEBTS-SHEBT 2.

GVQBT/FCEY ELIN. OF CAMBRIDGE-.MINNESOTA- CLOTH MEASURING AND INDICATIGMACHINF Specification of Letters Patent. Patlgnted Nov. 2i, 1g i.

Application filed January 28, 1911. 'Serial No. 605,317.

. 1lb all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GODTHFREY ELiN, citiz en of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of 'lsanti and State ot Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Cloth Measuring and indicating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to cloth measuring devices, and the primary object of the invention is .to provide a very simple and effective mechanism ot this character in ywhich the cloth is not only measured but the price of the piece cut olf is immediately indicated.

A further object is to provide a machine of this character including acloth winding device and a graduated tape which is wound up 4with the cloth upon the measuring reel, said tape having upon its face a plurality ot' series of graduations, the graduations of one series i indicating the length of cloth which has been wo'und up, the graduations of another series indicating a plurality or" prices per yard. and the graduations of anvother series indicating the various prices of fractions of a yard of cloth.

A further object is to provide a mecha- ,nism ofy this character with a scissorsA guide under which the clot-h passes, this guide guiding the scissors in their cut across the cloth.

A further object is to provide a cloth measuring device with a measuring rcel having clamps wherebythe end of the cloth may be engaged with the rcel, these clamps beingso formed that the cloth may bc readily disengaged from the reel after it is ywouiul thereon hy sliding the cloth oli' the end yoit" the reel, and these clamps being further so disposed with relation to the reel that they are carried in a recess formed in the reeljplale. and do not project above the surface of the reel and therefore do not interfere with the proper measurement of the cloth or its easy removal. Y

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein;-

Figure l is a perspectivesview of my invention looking down f toward the top of thcvmechanism. Fig. 2 is aface view of a section of the measuring tape.. Fig.y 3 is a sido elevation of .the mechanism. Fig. Llis a transierse section on the line 4.--4 of Fig.

3. lfifr. "Il is a face view of the cloth reel dota lied, the clamping jaws being closed. Fig. (S a, perspective view ot the system ol' levers tor movingthe roller 19 With relation to the roller 20.' yFig. 7 is a perspective view of the tape guide, and Fig. 8 is a perspectiife view of the support for a bolt of cloth.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the Yfollowing description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to these drawings it will be seen that my mechanism is supported upon two spaced frames 2.' Each of these is preferably ornied'ot angle-iron and comprises a horizontally disposed portion 3 having at one end the downwardly and outwardly extending leg fl. The other end of the horizontally disposed portion 3 is also provided with the downwardly extending portion 5 and is then extended horizontally as at G, and again extended downwardly as at i', so that the portions 6 and 7 Jform substantially a leg supporting the portion 3 and corresponding to' the leg 1l, this leg being,

horizontally bent as at for supporting the winding reel. There are two of these frames, as previously stated, which are spaced from each other by transversely extending braces 8 at each end. Other braces may be interposed between the frames at any convenient point, but these braces are not illustrated, as such illustration would tend to confuse Athe drawings.

Mounted upon the frames 2 and resting in bearings upon the horizontally disposed portion t3 of the frames is the cloth reel 10. rthis consists of'a rectangular plate of any suitable material, but preferably of wood,`

wit/lr a ratchet-Wheel 14 with which a pawl 15 engages. This pawl is preferably a spring-actuated pawl andis adapted to be turned upward upon the portion away from engagement with the ratchet wheel,` and thus out of the way to permitan easy unwinding of the cloth and the removal of the reel from the supporting frame. The means for holding the cloth upon the reel will be hereafter described. Y

Extending across the side-bars 3of the frames 2 at the ends thereof adjacent to the reel 10 are the spaced parallel rods 16 which coact to form a scissors guide, the cloth to be measured and cut passesunder these rods 16. Mounted on` one of the frame-bars 2 and in alinement with the space between the parallel bars 16 is the index pointer 17. Mounted immediately in rear of the scissors guide 16 is the roller .18, over which the cloth passes, this roller being rotatably mounted upon the frame-bars 2. At theopposite ends of the portions 3 of the framebars are the upper and lower rollers 19 and 20, the lower roller 2O being rotatably mounted insuitable bearings in the framebars, while the upper roller is supported at its ends upon links 23 extending upward from arms 21. Each of these arms is pivoted at its middle, and the like ends of both arms connected by a transverse bar 22, so

. that a. depression of the bar 22 willelevate the rear ends of the levers 2l. Links' 23 connect the ends of the levers 21'to the roller 19, and links 24 are also connected to the upper ends of the links 23 and extend downward and are pivoted to the side frames 2.

Y Coil-springs 24; act to draw down upon the links 24 and thus force the roller 19 downward against the roller 20. A latch 25 is supported upon the frames 2 intermediate of its ends, which latch engages with the cross-bar 22 when the cross-bar is drawn upward, the latch holding the roller 19 against the roller 20. The Aobjects of the rollers `19 and 20 and of the roller 18 is to stretch the cloth smoothly and evenly as it passes from the rollers 19 and 20 4to the roller 18. By lifting the roller 19 it will be obvious that the cloth may be easily inserted between the rollers and that when the rollers yare closed down upon the cloth that they will exert suflicient friction incident to the cloth being wound up upon the reel plate 10 -to straighten out and smooth the cloth.

Mounted upon a transversely extending shaft 26 is a tape reel 27 upon which a m as-l uring' and calculating tape 28 is wound.

This tape after leaving the roller is carried rearward and under the roller 20, and back again between the rollers 19 and 20. From these rollers the tape extends forward and passes under or above the roller 18 then passes either over or under the scissors guide 16 and at the end isattached to the reeling plate 10. Thus, as the reeling plate 10 is rotated the tape will be wound therein, Located 0n each side vof the path of travel of the tape 28 are the tape guides 29 which act to prevent theV cloth from interfering with the tape and covering the same.

For the purpose of rotatably supporting the bolt of cloth so that it may be unwound and wound upon the reel plate 10 I have provided a U-shaped frame 30 through the arms of which pass the spindles 31. The spindles 3l carry at their ends the boltengaging members 32, preferably wedgeshaped, and are surrounded by the coil springs 33v which act to force the bolt-engaging members into the bolt of cloth. The extremity of each spindle is provided with a head 34 whereby the spindle may be manipulated. lt will be seen that by retract ing the spindles a bolt may be inserted between them, and that by releasing the spindles the members 32 will engage the bolt and rotatably support it so that the cloth may be readily drawn off therefrom.

It is necessary that the reeling plate 10 shall have a uniform thickness and width so that there shall bf no protuberance at any one portion which shall cause the cloth to wind unevenly upon the reeling plate. For the purpose of clamping the lend of the cloth upon the reelingplate l have provided certain lclamping devices, the operating parts of which are arranged in a recess formed in the face of the reeling plate. Thus referring particularly to F ig. 5, it will be seen that the reel-plate is cut away as at 35 at an angle so that the reel-plate proper is tapered from one end to the other. The reel-plate is also provided with a transversely extending recess 36 and a recess 36a communicating with the recess 36 and extending to the end of the reel 10. Mount ed upon tl el-plate 10 is a spring clamping jaw `1`his jaw is rigidly attached to the plate at one end as at 37 and then extends longitudinally along the plate to the other end of the plate and is then bent at right angles as at 37b, the extremity of the angular portion 37b being formed with a stud 37c extending into a recess formed in the end-wall of the'plate. The resilient jaw soA formed coacts with a movable jaw 38 which is pivoted at one end as at 38L and extends nearly to the angular end 37 of the jaw 37. It is provided intermediate its ends with the `arm 39 which extends into the recess 36 and is provided with a socket 39a in which engages the rounded end of a liaw actuating lever 40 which is pivoted within the recess 36a and does not project above the face of the plate 10. A spring 40a is adapt- .ma rks,

Leeaaea the extremity of lthelever 1i() when 'thrown in` itsclaniped"k position. In (lirici-ation the end ofthe cieli tube reelcd is placed between the clamping jaws 37, and 3S, the clamping jawSS being 'then shifted outy by moving the lever/l to the position shown inv Fig. 5, the end et the cloth being thereby clamped' in place, After the cloth has been wound upon the `reel l0 and it is desired to reriove the oloth from the reel thelever i() is released hy pulling outward upon 'the spring 40 and thejaw 38 drawn inward, whereupon it will disengage from the endof `the cloth. The "jaw 3T is also drawn inward at the Same time againsty the force of its own resilience by Contact or" ed u engage with the end oi the Vjaw 38 with the angular eX- treznity 37C andr thus the reel made narrower at one end than at the other to permit the clot-h wound upon the reel to be easily.re moved therefrom.

In Fig. 2 I show a length of the measuring tape 28. The tape 28 is divided by lines into three longitudinal columns 41,42 and ln one of these eolunins are disposed indicat ing marks indicating fractions ot" a yard l or numbers of the yards. ln theevxalnple shown the column ilhas-indicating marks at each quarter of a yard, indicating 'a quan .ter of a yard', a half :yard 'or' thee fourths' ol a yard, etc, The quarteryard is'liere taken as unit, and a greater or less unit might be adopted ifdesired.` The tape, of

course, yis of any 'desired length, yand might Ibe long enough to" measure onehundred yards or more if' desired! The Columns 42 and 425 are each 'divided into sections by separate divisionfn'iarlrs 44 wiich are lo` cated midway between the quarttf' yard The spaces in the column@ hetween the separate division marks 44 `are each divided'into a seriesof'srnaller spar/2s, each space eontaininga lfigure denoting'different prices per y( ril vflitjclotli, Thus, in' the illustration, ear/h Vthese spaces con-L tainedu between 'the ii'ifsions il ifynrtlier v divided into equal spaces tjont'ail'iing ri spec'- tively the prit-c marks 25J-lll n eating; nach a dijie'rerit 'pr :e per yard cloth. The .e'olllnsn' -tl is 'divided' between the division marks 45t intoa seriesofsmallei spaces rorrefponding'y tothe spaces in the v each of these smaller spaces' be- 'ig proiuled with figures 'indieating the pri( Piper lfraction vot. a yard, as lfor instance the price of a quarte" jofjayyard. ."'Thus, n the illustration show t'li'e'columnd' aber?,l

Ligure inrlicatingy ll'fivper' yaitlfif"ptM t ell'with 'l'lgui'es "1 'Y 30,A etc ind 'v of goods at 155C. a yard. it will he understood.' of course, that this arrangement of Ythe tigures shall be fari-led out tio' theY end ot' tape so' that 'for instance, opposite the ligure ini'licatingl the price per yard, and located in thc-tive Ayard space may be the price or' fire yards eif goods at lc. a yard.

The tape Q8 is wound up on the reel plate i0 simultaneously with thel cloth and as the tape passes under the pointer 'i7 the length of cloth wound np 'on the reel-plate may be easily read upon the tape v28 and 'its price seen by referring` to 'the prices marked in the columns and 3. ItY will thus be seen that there is no necessity of calculating the price or any frac, on of va yard, as this price is displayed upon the measuring tape.

ln the practieal operation oit' my invention, the bolt of cloth is placed between the spindles 3l in the frame 30. "The cloth is then passed between the rollers' 19 and 2O carried over the roller 18 and either over or 'under 'the guide rods 16. The Cloth is then 'carried downward and inserted between the clamping bars 37 and 38, the tape 28 being permanently attached to the reel plate in any 'suitable manner as by gluing theend of the tape to the edge or the vreel plate. The Crank i3' is then applied to 'the spindle 1l of the reel plate and the spindle rotated, wind- 'ing up the cloth. The spring l5 engaging with the ratchet lli prevents any back niotion ofthe' cloth winding reel. By reading the tape measuring 28 as it passes beneaththe pointer' I7, the proper amount of cloth may be easily seen, and when the proper amount has been-reeled Upon the plate l0, as indicated by said measure, scissors' are inserted between the guide-bars 1G' land the cloth cut. Thecloth may -then be removed from the reel-plate eitherby unrolling it or unshipping the `reel-plate upon its bearing. The shaft Qtjupon which the tape reel is moiinted may he rotated to revcrse'the reel by means ot a Crank 3. y f f My iuve'ntioiid4 `simple; easily operated and can' be made'inany size desired." 1t is tended 'to"`l"ic` somewhat over a yard in i'dth so that'a elotliot full Width may be shredit i. however, equallyadapted `yused for" a'suring ribbons, 'laces or like gho'ds.

While Vlnhave shown what I believe to be i "i, ve'tails of my '-invention do not Wish to liie"litiiited 'to Athse details ofconstruction jminor ehan'ges might be .made herein'Withoutlv departing from the spirit n? the'yinyentio'n. /f

'iavingfths described the invention :claimed new -1s`:-'

ynati v ig atabric"supporting 'reel' a roller over vwhichlitlieifibridpasses' 'graduated tape .-5 'i 11:." 1;' 5' vlp.

"'1. iikleviceormeasuring Af abries ineludattached to the reelI and adapted to be wound up thereon as the fabric is wound up, and an indicating pointer co-acting with the tape, said tape being formed with lon` gitudinally extending columns, one column indicating a predetermined unit of cloth measurement, another column divided into spaces each provided with characters indicating different prices per yard, the third column beingl divided into spaces corresponding to the second named column, each provided with characters denoting price per unit with reference to the cost per yard.

2. A cloth measuring mechanism including oppositely disposed frames, a rotatable winding reel mounted upon said frames and having means for clamping the end of a.

piece of cloth thereto, supporting rollersover which the cloth to be measured passes, a roller supported above one of the rollers and shiftable toward and from the same, resilient means for forcing the rollers toward each other, a measuring tape passing between said rollers and over the supporting rollers and attached at its end to the winding reel, and a reel upon which the measuring tape 1s mounted, and a scissors guide extendin transversely of the direction of travel o the cloth and mounted upon said frames, said Scissors guide intersecting the path of travel of the cloth and tape.

3. In a cloth measuring mechanism, oppositely disposed support-ing frames, a rec tangular reel plate mounted on said frames .and having means disposed on its edge for clamping the end of a piece of cloth thereto, a scissors guide across which the cloth passes, a roller adjacent to the scissors guide for supporting the cloth, `tension rollers at the opposite end of the frame from the scissors guide between which rollers the cloth passes,

-springs for forcing said tension rollers toward each other, means for moving the tension rollers away from each other when desired, means for supporting a boltof cloth and allowing it to be unwound, a graduated measuring tape passing between the tension' rollers and traveling across the scissors guide and attached to the reel plate, and an index pointer extending over the tapeand disposed at the adjacent extremity of the scis'sors guide.

4. In a cloth measuring mechanism, a cloth reel comprising a rectangular plate over which the cloth is to be wound, means for rotating the plate, cloth clamping jaws mounted on the plate and relatively movable to each other and means on the plate for opening said clamping jaws, and means for reducing the width of the reel at one end when the clamping jaws are opened.

5. In a cloth measuring mechanism, oppositely disposed supporting frames, a cloth reel mounted on said frames andl having means for clamping the end of a piece of the cloth passes, tension rollers at the oppocloth thereto, a scissors guide past which' site end of the frames from the scissors v guide between which the cloth passes, a channeled tape guide extending approximately from the tension rollers to the scissors guide, a graduated measuring tape passing between the guide rollers, supported in the tape guide, passing across the scissors guide and attached to said cloth reel, and an index'pointer extending over the tape and disposed at the adjacent extremity of the scissors guide.

6. In a cloth measuring mechanism, a cloth reel comprising a rectangular plate -over which the cloth is to be wound, said plate being tapered toward one end thereof,

.7. In a cloth measuring mechanism, a

cloth reel comprising a rectangular plate over which the cloth is to be wound, one edge of' said plate being angularly cut away to taper the plate from one end to the other,

a spring strip Aattached to the larger end of the plate, said strip extending parallel to the cutaway edge of the plate and form ing a resilient jaw, the free end of the spring strip being bent toward the axis; of the plate and then bent inwardly, a jaw pivoted to the large end of the plate and eX- tending parallel to the spring strip on the inside thereof, said pivoted jaw having a length suflicient to permit the free end to engage the inwardly turned edge of the strip when the jaw is drawn inward, and means for forcing the pivoted jaw outward to clap a piece of cloth to the reel or re- 'tracting said jaw to release the cloth and retract the free end of the spring strip to reduce the width of the reel at one end.

S. In al cloth` measuring mechanism. a cloth reel comprising a rectangular plate having one edge cut away to Vtaper the plate from one end to the other, a resilient strip forming one jaw attached at the large end of the plate extending parallel to the cutloo away edge thereof, the free end of the strip being bent toward the axis of the plate and then bent inwardly, a jaw extending 'parallel to the resilient jaw and pivoted at the larger end of the plate, said pivoted jaw hey/ing a length sliicent to perI-nvit'ts free'v end to engage the inwardly turned end of ythe resilient jaw when the-'pvoted jaw is retracted, an arm on the p'oted j aw extend-A lng into a. recess vin the plate, a' lever pivoted in the 'recess in the plate and engegmg the arm, said leve-rnctng toretract the pvoted,

jaw, and a detent-carred in said 'recess and adapted to engage the lever to hold it in adjusted-V poston, sd `arm, lever and de- 10 

